Political Dig

69 Republicans Just Voted Against Helping Puerto Rico

Donald Trump, who has constantly attacked the U.S. property of Puerto Rico during their time of need, has been joined by 69 other Republicans who voted against legislation to provide $36.5 billion in aid for communities affected by recent wildfires and hurricanes, including Puerto Rico.

Many of the Republicans who opposed the bill were members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. The list of Freedom Caucus leaders who opposed the bill include Chairman Mark Meadows (N.C.), Justin Amash (Mich.) and Jim Jordan (Ohio).

Rep. Mark Walker (N.C.), who leads the Republican Study Committee, also voted against the legislation.

“Hurricane aid shouldn’t be added to the debt. That’s akin to going to the Emergency Room after an injury, putting the charges on a credit card, and then pretending that the Visa bill is never going to arrive,” Walker wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.

Every House GOP from the Florida delegation voted in favor of the bill, but six Texas Republicans opposed it. That includes Reps. Joe Barton, Louie Gohmert, Jeb Hensarling, Kenny Marchant, John Ratcliffe and Roger Williams.